seasons of love
by Po' PoCHi
Summary: rukawa gets suspended...... but with a girl?! [rukawaXoc, on-going]
1. Default Chapter

The morning slowly turns to afternoon with the rising of the sun amid the crystal blue sky. The weather is hot today, hotter than the day before. Perhaps it is because of the changing seasons. Oh well, the real summer's coming on the next week, so everybody should be ready to face the stinging heat of the sun. The lunch break bell had rang, and soon as that the classroom were half-vacant. Students were rushing out of the class to scatter out across the school building. Some were heading for canteen, and some were going to other classes to meet their good friends or lovers. To them, recess time is the time to socialize. But that aspect doesn't go on with Rukawa, though. Break and lunch times to him were a moment where he could have a peaceful sleep on the school top without being bothered with teachers or any other students.  
  
Stretching his arms in the air while yawning, Rukawa made his way through the hallway. Just like usual, he's going to go to the roof and sleep there. He's going to skip the next session, which is chemistry, his least-liked subject, too. Chemistry, it's his worst failing subject ever since the previous year (oh well he's failing on few subjects…). Not only to him chemistry is just a nonsense things that he didn't need to learn, the teacher, Akihara-sensei, herself dislikes Rukawa. It all happened because once when Rukawa was sleeping in class, Akihara approached him and tried to wake him up. But it all ends with Rukawa unconciously hitting her on the face, causing her cheekbone to crack. And since then, she became so sentimental with Rukawa Kaede.  
  
The brass door that leads the hallway towards Rukawa's private kingdom, the school rooftop, now stood before him. To his surprise, it wasn't shut properly. Sunlight shone through the line gap that separates the door from the doorway. Someone must've been there. Somebody must be out there. But who? Everybody knows that the school rooftop was Rukawa's palace for sleeping, and nobody would've dared to occupy the place. The air around him soon filled with curiosity. He slowly reached out his hands and pushed the rusty door slightly with his fingertips, making a hell lot of unpleasant noise. When the door was fully open, he almost jumped back in surprise when he saw the view beyond the doorway. "A girl?"  
  
Yeap there was a girl, laying there before the door opening. To Rukawa, it seems like she was sleeping, and enjoying it. It was unusual to find a girl in Shohoku sleeping here. Is there any, who's crazy enough to sleep here? Rukawa swallowed his saliva and walked closer. He put his hands inside his trouser uniform's pockets. Lifting up his toe, he nudged her ribs carefully with it, but hard enough to wake anybody up. To his surprise, she didn't response. "Baka…" Seems like bumping his feet won't work, he'll now try kicking. Thank goodness, she's awake with his kick. Or else Rukawa wouldn't know any other way to wake her up.  
  
"That's rude…" She lifted her back and sat up straight, her face still covered with her long, straight, black hair. Rukawa expected her to be the type of female bandits or a boyish girl, careless enough to take a nap here. But when she pulled the strands of hair from her face to the back of her ears, Rukawa felt a shocking jolt on the sight of her face. It's not like what Rukawa had pictured her in his mind, it's a 180 degrees of difference. She had those bright temples with soft, clear and light skin, and deep dark blue eyes. Her lips were the colors of cherries, not full and not too small. In other words, she's pretty, not like what Rukawa had expected her to be like. "You should be treating me more like the way you treat ladies." She shot a stare that cuts deep through Rukawa's indigo eyes, descripting her angst towards him inside.  
  
The Shohoku ace caught himself stunned by her looks. With that, he threw his pair of eyes away from her and turned his head to his side, avoiding her gaze. "Lady? I never knew a lady could sleep and snore on the school's rooftop. Is that what you call a lady?" He retorded in his cold, icy voice.  
  
"Now you know…" And with that she twisted her hips, giving her back to the raven-haired lad. "Hey… Who are you anyway? Are you a messenger sent by that old bitch Akihara, telling me that I got suspended because of skipping her class?" Without turning her back off Rukawa's face, she asked him while stroking her hair from her face.  
  
"No… Why? You wanna get suspended?"  
  
"Yup! So that I can take a peaceful nap at my comfy bed… Bye, I'm going back to sleep…"  
  
"Hey, wait a minute." The words that Rukawa spattered out halted her from sleeping. "Who do you think you are…? Why are you here without my permission?"  
  
"What?! YOUR permission?" She looked at Rukawa from her shoulder and gave him a penetrating deep look. "Who do you think I am? And who do you think you are? You sound like the deputy headmaster or whatever when you're not! You're just one of my classmate… Now bug off…"  
  
Classmate? Is she his classmate? Does it mean that she was there within the rooms that he was in all the time in school? How come he never noticed her? "…Are you in my class?"  
  
"D'uh… I don't know… Ask yourself! I'm busy tryin' to sleep here, now excuse me…" Before she managed to rest her face on the tiled surface, the door slammed open and Akihara-sensei come rushing in. "Uh oh… Now what does this old hag want?"  
  
"Old hag?! That's it! That's enough!! You two!! The two of you, Rukawa Kaede, Ririku Carmenita!! Come to the head office at once. I had enough of you guys!!!" Her hand was on her hips, and her she was squealing like an old witch.  
  
'So her name is Carmenita Ririku… No doubt she's in my class, I heard that weird name a lot of times… What the hell is Carmenita and why did she sound so awkward??' Igonoring Akihara's unpleasant babbles, he took a glance at Laurenzia who was dusting off her skirt. She looked back at him and shrugged, instructing him to surrender and follow what the old witch wanted. So with that he walked beside the girl who was 20 cms shorter than him to the office, ready to face some trouble that they will face.  
  
***  
  
Ever since they stepped into the headmaster's office, the chemistry instructor, Akihara, hadn't stop her shrieks for even one minute. She was a short-tempered woman, no wonder most of the students hated her. Well, except for those who's really devoted to knowledge and education, though. The two of them haven't been listening to any crap that she spits out. Even the headmaster seemed to be irritated by her. "Umm… Akihara-sensei. Please calm down and just let me finish with the problem." He tried to sound cool but there were veins popping out on his forehead. Thank goodness Akihara nodded and obeyed him. She barks loudly like a mad dog and I bet it could be heard outside in the hallways, or even the classroom next door. The old chemistry instructor sat down on a coach beneath the air conditioner. She may be silent but her eyes were still staring at them, filled with glower.  
  
"What's up with that witch right there?" As both's eyes were pinned on her slightly, Ririku bent down his back lightly to whisper in Rukawa's ear.  
  
"Ssh," warned the fox-eyed male as his attention then turned towards Yoshihiko-sensei who was taking the seat before the wide ivory desk.  
  
"Sheesh… What's wrong with you…" She grumbled to herself as she drew back.  
  
"I see that you two know why you are here. So then I guess I didn't remind you that you violated the proper school law."  
  
'You just did, you idiot…' Ririku started to bit her lips impatiently. She had hoped that they would finish the nonsense soon enough.  
  
"I don't know what to do with you guys. I don't know how to help you be a better person. I heard from a lot of teachers, not only Akihara-sensei, that you two often sleep and skip lessons. I'm asking for truth… Why is that?" Yoshihiko inquired aloud with growing curiosity.  
  
"…Bored." His tone was dreary, but he seems that he didn't mind to tell the truth. Rukawa Kaede wasn't afraid of punishments.  
  
'This guy must be crazy,' Ririku exclaimed in her head, 'I think it's either because of he have guts, or he doesn't have brains…'  
  
Astonished by Rukawa's reply, Yoshihiko rubbed his graying mustache with his thumb and his index. Then he closed his eyes and slumped back on his leather-coated mobile chair. "Bored, huh? I know that school is boring, but it is a major thing in life. Hmmm… I just want to wrap this up as quick as possible, Rukawa-kun, Ririku-san. I think it's best for the two of you to be suspended for a few days, with assignments and extra works given, though. I want you two to think of how to improve your poor attitude and I expect you to change it when you got back in the next fifteen days."  
  
"Fifteen days? Is that how long we'll be suspended?!"  
  
"Yes, Ririku-san… It is all because of your own lack of discipline." Patiently he replied.  
  
"Demo… Fifteen? It would be so awkward… I mean, 3 weeks? Why not make it one month?" She said it distinctly with innocence. She sounds like she meant it though. Rukawa, Akihara and Yoshihiko's face were blank. There were huge beads of sweatdrops on their forehead.  
  
"One month will be too much. If that is what you expected, I guess you wanted expulsion, my dear." Slim fingers with red-coated nails ran through Akihara's chin as she smiled devilishly. The look on her face, it tells everybody that she wants them to be expelled. What an evil thought she has as a teacher.  
  
"Please, witch… Mind your own business! Don't think too much or your wrinkles on your horrid forehead will add up…" Ririku stuck out her tounge at her.  
  
"Ririku-san… I see that you have inadequate manners. I believe it's because you're in need to socialize more than you used too. Teachers told me that you barely join the activities in the classroom." Headmaster was patient. He had seen enough of this feeble-mannered children ever since he was positioned to be the principal of school. Not only Shohoku, but other schools in Kanagawa and Japan. "Therefore I will give you a small duty. It will be a group project. I'm expecting you to work it out with Rukawa-kun and have it finished by the time you get back to school on the sixteenth day. Any questions?"  
  
Rukawa, who had been silent all the time, raised up his pale hand. "Yoshihiko-sensei… What about the club activities? Will it be halted too?"  
  
"Aah… Yes… I know that you cared so much about Basketball, Rukawa-kun… Demo, I'm sorry to say that if you are suspended, you must not step into the schoolground unless you have permissions. I'm sorry, Rukawa-kun… And Ririku-san… During suspension days, you wouldn't be able to attend the singing club meetings too. But I will allow you to be there in the club activities today."  
  
The two nodded in understandings even though their heart was filled with disappointment. Yoshihiko-sensei handed them a brown folder after he came back from the resource room and handed it to them. Inside were papers with questions and assignments that they must make. And since the period 8 had started, it will become the last of the week, since it is the last of the day before dismissal bell rings.  
  
  
  
a.n :: hmm… I don't know… This idea popped out in my head while I'm reading the first issue of Slam Dunk comics by JC publishing. Yeah, it's when Rukawa was aslept out in the roof and was awakened by Mitsui's gang that had threatened Sakuragi. Hehehe… I'm sorry to say but about the two other on-going fics that I'm writing at, I'll be stopping updating them for a while, but don't worry… I will continue as soon as possible... Ne, ne! Review, plz~! 


	2. there she is!

It was the end of the school day. Students of Shohoku high were going home. Some were staying for their extra activities. Rukawa Kaede walked through the white-painted corridor and entered the locker room. Some freshmen were already there. They started whispering when Rukawa stepped in. He paid them no attention though. They were probably talking about the issues of his suspension anyway, so who cares. His hands groped into his sport bag to pull out his nike shirt and blue shorts. Just as he was about to undress himself, Sakuragi Hanamichi, his long-life rival emerged into his sight. "Naaa Rukawa!!! I heard you were suspended!! Nyahahahaha!!! I guess I will have peaceful practices during the times when you had to stay home! Aaahh… It will be heaven… I will surely grab Haruko's atten-"  
  
"Urusai…" Rukawa cut his foolish sentence. He was pissed about it already in the morning, and he got to meet this odd girl that ruins his idea of peaceful sleep on the roof, and he just don't want to hear anymore from Sakuragi's big mouth.  
  
"What?! How dare you---" The rowdy sound of the sliding door broke Sakuragi's words.  
  
"Deuce!" The captain, Miyagi, stepped in, accompanied with Ayako on his side. They were lovers, and they started going out everywhere together. With that they looked like a stamp sticked to an envelope. "Hi there Sakuragi, Rukawa, everybody…"  
  
"Nyahahaha," Sakuragi bursted out into his enthusiastic, unpleasant-to- ears, laughter, "Oi, Ryochin! Did you hear about Rukawa? Nyahahahaha!!"  
  
"Cut it, Sakuragi Hanamichi. Get dressed and go down to the gym." Ayako swung his folded paper fan in the air to threaten the redhead idiot.  
  
Instead of being scared and warned, Sakuragi patted her on the shoulder and put an uncomfortable smile on his lips (for Ayako, though). "Hehehe… I was going to get change, Ayako-san… Demo, it seems like you are fully-dressed in your usual manager uniform then how come you are here? Nyahahaha! You must be wanting to see Ryochin naked aren't ya?"  
  
"Pervert!!!!!!!" There's no further caveat, Ayako hit his head with her fan hardly, leaving a red, hot, bump on his head. Redder than his hair.  
  
"Do'aho…" Now Rukawa was dressed in a violet T-shirt and a black oblong in front. His pants were blue and he didn't forget to wear his wristband and slid it near his elbow. He then left the uncanny but daily views inside the locker room behind and headed straight to the gym.  
  
There were dead silence inside just after he left. Everybody's eyes were fixed onto the shut door. Miyagi and Sakuragi turned their head and looked at each other. "Oi, Hanamichi," Ryota began and finally break the hush inside the room, "What did you say about that issue thingy?"  
  
"Oooh! I'm sure you wanna know… I heard from Tsukimiya he got suspended…" Informed Sakuragi. His mouth was fully round as he spoke.  
  
"Oh… No wonder. I guess he must've had a bad start for the day…" Ryota grabbed his clothes and walked into the toilet to change.  
  
A freshmen stood up and looked at Sakuragi and Ayako with concern on his face. "Demo, Ayako-san… Sakuragi-sempai… Does that means that he would be absent off the practices too?" (a.n : poor grammar, I know… T__T)  
  
Ayako rubbed her chin and then tangled the strands of hair with her index. "I guess so… Yeah… How long will he be off-school, Sakuragi?" She bent down her head to look at Sakuragi who was beneath her, fixing his shoes.  
  
"I heard… I don't think it's the exact thing but… I heard it's fifteen days…"  
  
"Fifteen days?" The pitch of the curly haired freshmen raised. "He'll be absent for fifteen days?! Oh no…"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I won't be able to see his remarkable plays anymore…" He paused to take a deep breath. "I love Rukawa-sempai's skills… he's just soo good! No wonder he—" Before the newcomer could manage to finish his sentence, Sakuragi threw him out of the window.  
  
"Teme… Rukawa's fans are growing everywhere… Not only females but… guys?!"  
  
***  
  
Rukawa was inside the gym already. The practice hadn't start but he had worked on his three-point shoots already. Haruko and the Sakuragi Gundan were already there too. "Ne… Rukawa-kun is so quiet today, huh?" Haruko veered back to ask Youhei and the others.  
  
"Yeah… No wonder. I heard he got punished because of skipping class… He must be feeling poignant right now…" Ookusu scratched his head.  
  
"It's no ordinary punishment," rejoined Tsukimiya as he chewed on his tortilla chips that he had brought from home, "He's sacked off school for 15 days…"  
  
"Fifteen?!" Haruko gasped aloud but then she cupped her mouth. She must've been said it too loud and worried that Rukawa could hear her. "Fifteen?" She said with a softer voice. "Isn't that too much…"  
  
"Haruko-chan… He didn't only skip that class… He's been doing that a dozen of times before, perhaps. And that girl too."  
  
"Girl?" Haruko was shocked to hear that word; girl. The definition of what they had mentioned were still unclear in her head. What do they mean by a girl? "What do you mean?"  
  
Youhei sighed and crossed his arms. "A girl who's as imprudent as Rukawa… She's always sleeping in class and skipping lessons. Tsukimiya-kun's in her class. You said she had bad manners and often curse right, fatso?" His elbow nudged Tsukimiya's wide ribs.  
  
"Yeah… She's detested that chemistry teacher, Akihara, more than anybody one else. And she often call her bad names like witch, hag, and even slut…"  
  
"That's terrible…" Haruko grasped her hands together in sympathy. "But what are they going to do for 15 days? I mean… It's kinda too long and too boring for them to just stay home and do nothing."  
  
Youhei rested his palm upon Haruko's head. "Haruko-chan… The principle often gives assignments for them to finish. And it will be enough to fill their time. And oh," Mito Youhei clapped his hands, "I heard they were given groupwork project. Is it true?" The fattest among the four only nodded in reply because his mouth were stuffed with chips.  
  
"Groupwork? Does that mean that Rukawa-kun has to work with that thug girl?"  
  
"She… Her looks might not be as bad as her personality, Haruko-chan. She's not those kinds of bandit girls that were around this school… In fact, I suppose… She look kinda pretty…"  
  
Haruko's attention turned to the person who swerved her head into the gap between the entrance of the gym to take a peek. "Oh… Someone is outside…" She put a charming smile on her lips and rushed to the door to greet her.  
  
"Oi, Mito! That girl!! It's that girl!!"  
  
"I know!!!!!! Sshh!! Rukawa might hear us…"  
  
"Hello there, can I help you?" Haruko began their conversation with a friendly manner. The girl smiled back and then introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Ririku Carmenita… I'm here to see Rukawa Kaede… Is he around?" Her eyes rolled around to look at the entire gym that lays behind Haruko's back.  
  
"Aa… My name is Akagi Haruko. I'm the assistant manager of the team. You're here to see Rukawa, aren't you?" Haruko lowered her head and blushed. "Are you one of his fans?" Her voice was softer and calmer, enough for only the two of them to hear.  
  
"…Fans?" Ririku's face looked puzzled. "That arctic guy has fans?"  
  
"…Yeah. Rukawa-kun is famous throughout Japan for his outstanding basketball skills. He's titled for the Number One Rookie in Japan and he had helped our team a lot to accomplish national tournament's first place." Haruko detailed her explanation to her. How come such girl never know a guy like him?  
  
"Maa… I heard Akira-kun said his name a lot but I don't have any idea who he is… Anyway, may I see him?" (a.n : Sendoh Akira?? Yes? No… Don't know… check out later on ^__^)  
  
"Sure… I'll go inform him. Please wait for a short while, okay?" And with that Haruko left her standing within the opening of the door, rushing towards Rukawa. She cleared her throat before she called out for him. With her hand, she stroke the hair from her cheek and pulled it back to her ears in edginess. "Ano, Rukawa-kun…"  
  
Rukawa turned his head and looked at her as he brought down the ball to from the air to his waist. "…What?" His hand started to fiddle around with the ball, tossing it lightly in the air and spins it on the tip of his finger.  
  
"Ano… There's a girl, she's here to see you… I think she wants to talk to you…" Haruko was trembling. It happens often. Everytime when she was near Rukawa, her heart grow faster madly and she finds her lips shaking, making it hard to greet or just say hello to him.  
  
Rukawa looked away and he sounds uninterested in meeting that person. "I don't wanna see her…"  
  
"Matte!" Haruko stopped him from getting away by grabbing his shirt with her hands. It was done unconciously. She blushed as her hand loosen up his cloth. "I think you really have to see her, Rukawa-kun… I believe Ririku- san has important things to say to you…"  
  
"..Ririku?" His eyes snapped wide when he heard the name.  
  
Haruko was both confused and relieved at the time. She was quite perplexed at why Rukawa responded so much to that name, and was relieved for he has intentions to talk to her. "Yes… Do you know her?"  
  
"Quite." And then he walked past Haruko and headed straight to the gym entrance. His head searched around for her figure. He finally spotted her. She was leaning her back against a huge tree trunk on the yard just before the gym while her head was tilted up.  
  
She noted that someone was coming towards her. She bend her head towards the direction of the footsteps. "Aa… You're here. I wanna talk to you!"  
  
"Make it fast, I had lots of important things to do…" Retorded Rukawa coldy.  
  
"Geez, you don't have to be so rude." She sneered as her hand tossed back her long strands of dark hair to her back. "It's regarding this crap," Ririku lifted up the brown folder and shoved it forward, pushing it against Rukawa's masculine chest. "I wanna end it soon."  
  
The Shohoku Ace slid the ball and locked it between his arm and his waist. "Yeah sure so I can have plenty of sleep without being bothered with those shit." Sarcasm escaped his lips.  
  
Reflexively her hands rose between the fresh air of early-summer and hit him on the back, hard. "Don't mock me… I'm being serious… Okay, back to business. What do you say if we work these out together in your house?"  
  
"My house? Why not yours? Trying to rob me?"  
  
"Gosh, you don't have to be so insolent!!" Ririku hollered at him on the top of her lungs. "…My house is too far away… I think yours are close enough. Well, at least closer to here than mine…"  
  
"…." Rukawa fondled his bangs and swipe it backwards. "Okay then… Whatever you like…"  
  
"Affirmative," The long-haired lass smiled in delight when she heard Rukawa's reaction. She almost jumped in excitement. It was the first time for him to see her smile joyfully like this. Back then when he first met her eye-to-eye, she hadn't shown a single smile. She looked kind of amiable with those smile on her rose lips. Perhaps she's not the type of those who really don't own femininity in her heart. "So then… I'll be waiting for you. And since I don't have anything to do and today's singing club doesn't held a meeting, I guess I'll be watching today's practice."  
  
"Fine with me…"  
  
With that Rukawa re-entered the gymnasium, followed by Ririku on his back. She stopped just before the entrance and leaned onto the rigid doorframe while watching the members around practice.  
  
  
  
a.n :: I think rukawa's being too boorish to her… 


	3. walk me home

The practice begins as usual, they warm theirselves up with 20 laps around the courts inside the gymnasium. Sakuragi was on the front; as usual he has those excess stamina.  
  
"Ganbatte, Sakuragi-kun!!" Haruko who was standing beside Ayako all along as the assistant manager gave support to them by raising her voice and cheering out loud.  
  
"Un! For Haruko-san, I'll do my best!!" And with that Sakuragi increased his speed and passed through everyone. But in the end, he ends up being too exhausted and he barely had the strength to start the real practice.  
  
"Do'aho…" And as usual, Rukawa kept on bugging him by calling him names and taunts and Sakuragi will just never give up to fight back.  
  
On the managers' desk, Ayako had her attention focused on Ririku who was leaning against the doorframe. Somehow, her eyes were different towards her. "Ano, Haruko-san… Who is that girl on the entrance of the gym? Why is she here? Who is she watching? Is she another one of Rukawa's fangirls?" In just a short period, she had thrown Haruko heaps of inquiries, leaving Haruko confused of which one she should answer first.  
  
"Eto… Uh… That girl, she claims to be Ririku Carmenita. She was here because she wanted to talk to Rukawa-kun demo… I don't know why she is still here."  
  
"Talk to Rukawa? Declaration of love?!" With the top of her lungs, she shouted out to Haruko in front of her ears deafeningly.  
  
"Aaa… I believe not, Ayako-san… And I believe she's doesn't sound like interested in Rukawa-kun. She haven't known much of him either…" It wasn't a detailed information but Ayako had heard enough to start her logic moving.  
  
"Not know much about Rukawa? How many years have she been hidden in the corners of the world? Man, she is really outdated." Said Ayako in a content tone. "Demo, Haruko-chan," she started. This time her voice was different. It is risen up filled with curiousity. "Don't you think it's strange for her presence here? I mean, through all the times that I've spent with Rukawa, even at the junior high, girls who started to talk to him won't last long. I mean… They'll just go home with teary eyes like that in a snap and won't come back. And now that Ririku, she's here and she seemed to be content. Have Rukawa treated her nicely? Or is she special to him?"  
  
"I don't know too, Ayako-san… Demo, you're right about one thing. At first Rukawa-kun doesn't sound interested when I said that there's a girl who's here to see him. And then after I mentioned her name, he quickly left me and headed outside to see her. Doesn't that sound suspicious, Ayako-san??!"  
  
"Ara… It does… Maa, maybe she is Rukawa's first love… Who knows?"  
  
"Don't say that, Ayako-san!!!!!" Her eyes went teary and her lips pouted.  
  
"E? Oh! Gomen, gomen, Haruko-chan!!! I completely forget that you have a major crush on Rukawa-kun!! Heehehehe!! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She asked for forgiveness towards Haruko but with the sound of no intentions of doing it. However, that doesn't stop Haruko from concerning about it. In fact, it made her increase her worries deep inside her thoughts.  
  
'Could it be true???' Haruko kept questioning herself, losing herself from reality, drowning in her own thoughts.  
  
"Maa, don't worry, Haruko-chan… Actually, that girl isn't Rukawa's crush, well, at least his feelings towards her haven't grown much yet… Well, he's related to Rukawa-kun because… Ano, have you heard about the current issue?" Youhei tried to soothe her out of her own desperations.  
  
"Issue? Huh? Which one, Youhei-kun?" As usual, she was the very latest about catching gossips since her brain itself is lagging.  
  
"About Rukawa-kun's suspension?? Oh!" Haruko paused to gasp.  
  
"Yes yes, Haruko-chan…"  
  
"Sou ka? Akihara-san ka? She looks so young…"  
  
Boink. There were one huge bead of sweatdrop on each of the Sakuragi Gundan's head.  
  
"Aa... I'm not talking about Akihara-sensei, Haruko-chan…"  
  
"Sou ka? Oh! I got it!!" Haruko clapped her hands together and held it tight before her chest.  
  
The gundan wiped off the sweats off their foreheads. "Finally you got the idea, Haruko-chan…"  
  
"Masaka," the words escape her lips as she was pondering to herself. "That couldn't be! I mean… aren't the principal supposed to be a male?"  
  
The four boys fell flatheaded onto the floor. How come she were thinking so blunt? Can't she at least use her logic to think? "Well, Haruko-chan… She's not Akihara-sensei and she's not the headmaster… Remember about that vulgar girl we told you about? The one who got herself suspended along with Rukawa- kun? Ya know, the one who blasphemes a lot?"  
  
"Oh… that girl… Oh! *gasps* Could she be..?!"  
  
"Yeah, and that's what we're tryin' to tell you all along!!"  
  
"Sou ka?"  
  
Thwack! A fan paper landed on Haruko and Youhei's head. As usual, it was Ayako's secret legendary weapon that she had used from the very beginning of her manager-ing career in junior highschool. "Haruko-chan… I know you're interested a lot in Rukawa. Demo, you're not doing anything to help me. Start focusing on the game and help me with the scoring, will ya?"  
  
Haruko bowed down in apology as she run her hands through her head, right on the spot where she was hit. It ached a lot and it's feeling hot right now. "Suman, Ayako-saaan…"  
  
***  
  
Finally today's hard practice had ended. Everybody went outside to heave down fresh air into their lungs as they stretch their weariness out of their muscle. Rukawa was busy undressing himself out of his sweat-soaked clothes and drying himself with his towel on the corner of the gym.  
  
"Chi, Teme, Kitsune Otoko. I know you have those fully-built packs but don't show it off, okay? It's making me sick!" Sakuragi tried to pick up a fight on him by throwing off comments and rude remarks towards him.  
  
"Who says that you are interested? I'm sure you're not a fag, aren't you? Get lost if you don't like the view, Do'aho…"  
  
"TEME!!" Sakuragi crumpled his fist and his veins started top pop on his head. Just one derisive word from Rukawa's mouth could drive him angry, even though sometimes he himself caused the trouble. "Aah," Sakuragi turned to look at Ririku's figure on the doorway, "trying to impress that cute girl, huh?"  
  
"Cute?! What do you mean? She's a monster and she cusses a lot…"  
  
"Hmmm," rejoined the redhead self-proclaimed genius as he rub his chin with his fingers, "never knew Rukawa has that kind of peculiar type of girl…"  
  
"Urusai, Do'aho…" He had enough of playing along with Sakuragi's nonesense talk. He wanted to end it soon so that he could regain his own freedom.  
  
Slowly he chuckled and then sharpened his eyes. He stole glances between Rukawa and Ririku, back and forth. "Rukawa's turning reeed…!!"  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Say me!"  
  
"Chi… Idiot crap."  
  
"Say what?!"  
  
"Do'aho!"  
  
"Teme, Kitsune….!!"  
  
"Will you two stop? Oi Iceman… Shouldn't we get straight going? I mean, it's getting late and I have more important things to do…" Ririku's patience were getting shorter. In fact, without their knowing, she approached them and started hollering in front of Rukawa and Sakuragi's face. The entire gym become so silent in all of a sudden. Their attention were now turned towards Ririku now who was standing between the two tall lads. "Oi we better get going…" She yanked the edge of his clean shirt, instructing him to leave immediately.  
  
"Wait a minute, Kitsune… Just where are you going? I'm not done with you!"  
  
"I'm through with you, Do'aho…" Rukawa simply raised his hand as he turned his back against Sakuragi to head straight home with Ririku beside him. "Ja na, minna… won't be seeing y'all for a while…"  
  
"Wait a second, you haven't answer my question, Kitsune Otoko!!! Where are you going early like this?!" Sakuragi insisted his question to be answered.  
  
"…I'm going home…" He placed his burden (his bag) on his right shoulder and started to walk off without looking back at the members of the club. "Ja na… Minna…"  
  
All of the members watched them leave the gym. They pouted to themselves as the air were dense than nothing but silence. They won't be seeing them anymore for another 15 days, or 3 weeks of school.  
  
***  
  
"Mou… are we here yet?" Ririku sighed impatiently. It's such a long walk from the school. She thought he said that his house were close to Shohoku. And now she's been walking for about 4 miles and they're not even close to it yet.  
  
"Stop complaining. I thought you were the one who said that you wanna go to my house." He himself was being edgy for himself has to walk with her all the way through other than riding on his fave red bike.  
  
She kept grunting to herself as she crossed her arms. "Can't you at least give me a ride? I mean… It'll make it easy…"  
  
Rukawa arched his brow as he stared through his back towards her. "A ride? No."  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"Look at yourself… You looked heavy…"  
  
A vein popped out on her forehead. How could he say such things? She was armed to explode now; any moment from now. In her mind Rukawa is a horrid male. He didn't know some manners and he's so boring, he barely talks. She couldn't imagine how she'll work out with him on the project that the principle had handed her, it'll be a bizarre. "Forget about this! I'm going home!!"  
  
Surprised at her reactions, Rukawa stopped walking and looked at her from the corner of his sharp eyes. "What? How come?"  
  
"Geez! And you don't even know why?!" Ririku shrieked out on top of her lungs on the vacant, narrow path that they're walking on. "You're a lamer, ya know that?! Listen, I'll give you days for you to work on your disgusting behavior, and I won't do a damn thing about our project until you've learned something!!!" She stomped her black, polished shoes to the asphalt and started stride away. Rukawa's still somehow confused about what's going on.  
  
Ririku's alone in the dark streets of the night. She somehow felt so bad, she felt like crying. However, she didn't want to spill her tears just now, though. Biting her lips, she tried to pull it back so that it won't roll down her cheeks. Somehow this road is feeling so cold. Nobody was there, and any kind of person with bad intentions towards her could be standing there, ready to jump on her. In some way she regretted to leave Rukawa just like that. How she wished that he would be here around somewhere. "Oi."  
  
Just like that in a snap, her wish came true. Rukawa Kaede, on his red bike, approached him slowly. He's still in his uniforms. "Rukawa?" Ririku asked softly, her eyes turning red and teary.  
  
"Hey, I don't know what happened but… Are you sure you wanna go home?"  
  
What? He came all the way here just to ask her that foolish question? Engulfed by her embarassment; afraid that Rukawa would see her tears run down any moment, she didn't think much for an answer and started yelling. "What do you think?! Hell yeah, sure I am!!!!!"  
  
For a moment, there were no replies. They both stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Rukawa's face gave no expression. He then finally shrugged and then cycled to her side. "Oh well, my house's just about half a mile away, though. But if you really wanna go home, here," he tapped the unoccupied seat behind him, "I'll take you home. It's dark and you won't know what'll happen if you're walking alone 'round here."  
  
How imprudent she was. He came here with all good intentions and yet she was being too careless and started screeching out towards him, spitting all those painful words. She hadn't realized until now that he was being patient to her. He could've just sit on his bike and paddled away, leaving her right there on the spot when she was griping about most of the things. He could've shout back such piercing things at her, just like the way she did to him. But he didn't, he held it all back. And now he's here, offering her to take her home, caring enough about her own safety.  
  
Ririku honed her eyes and then fell onto her knees and calf. She started to snuffle to herself. She hid her face away from Rukawa's; burying it in her palms, mortified by her own teardrops. "Oi? Oi!" He rushed to approach Ririku and knelt down beside her. "Stop that…" From his bag that was dangled onto his right shoulder all the while, he pulled out a white, clean towel and offered her. Seeing that she didn't try to accept it onto her own fingers, he quickly snatched her small hands away from her wet face and smudged the dampness from her face with his own effort. "I don't know what went wrong but… If it is something I said, I'm sorry."  
  
She almost chocked in astonishment. She stopped wailing for a while and remained tense. She didn't know what she should say right now. "Hora… Can you stand up now?" He placed his gentle fingers on her arms and helped her to regain her balance on her toes. He erected his bike and then fixed his bag that was hung on his arms. "Oi… Come on." Obeying him, she slowly sat on the empty seat and then slid her arms around Rukawa's waist. Her left hand were still holding the towel that had been used to wipe off her tears.  
  
"Suman," she started softly, "I'm sorry… I don't mean to say such cruel things…"  
  
"Huh? What cruel things?"  
  
"Nevermind," Ririku leaned her cheek upon his broad back and smiled to herself. She felt good after she had asked for forgiveness. It feels like her heart was now open and free.  
  
"…?"  
  
"Oi, Rukawa? Do you have cocoas in your house?" Her intonations were different from before. This time it's more lively and more merry. Rukawa himself was perplexed. Is that how girls are? How come they can change drastically in such a short period of time?  
  
"Sure…" He answered simply as his attention was focus on the paths.  
  
"Alrighty. Let's go. It's close from here, aren't it?"  
  
"…Sort of…" Then something rang the bell in his head. "Hey, I thought you wanna go straight home."  
  
"Nope. I changed my mind." She tightened her arms that were wrapping his abs. "Arigato, Rukawa-kun…"  
  
Rukawa continued to strike the rubber-layered paddles of his bicycle and headed towards home in confusion. 'How come girls are so complicated?'  
  
  
  
  
  
a.n : hee hee… I should've make Ririku sing mandy moore's walk me home. Hee hee… baby would u walk me homeee? I dun wanna go all the way alonee… *walks of singing* 


	4. here's the deal

As soon as they reached Rukawa's residence gates, he leaned his bike against the wall and towed out his keychains to unlock 'em. Meanwhile, Ririku herself was still busy drying her damp face.  
  
"You live alone?" She dared to inquire even when her voice is still quivering.  
  
Rukawa shrugged and paused to think for a moment. "For a while, yes. Not quite also, though. My parents, they left to Germany to see how my Ni-san's doing." When the gateway had been unlocked, Rukawa placed the keys back in his pockets and then lead Ririku in. She looked around in ashtonishment. The house was considered to be called big for an average Japanese houses. In fact, it is way more humongous. It has gardens as wide as castle and the walls are tall.  
  
"Sugoi yo… It's so huge…"  
  
Rukawa didn't reply and walked straight into the house. As the door slammed shut, he quickly hit the lights for it was very dark inside and he could bump onto any fragile furnitures and break them. Inside, it was decorated nicely in european style; classy and posh. "Want drinks?," the Shohoku ace offerend shortly.  
  
"…Yeah, cocoa will be fine." Ririku rested down her backpacks upon the white granite floor as she took off her shoes.  
  
"'kay… Go have a seat down at the dining room and start doing your works," instructed Rukawa Kaede. He was saying it aloud from the kitchen, where he was capable of making 2 cups of hot cocoas. When he's done, he rushed into the dining table and then handed her the drink.  
  
"Where are you going?" Promptly she threw out the question when she saw him starting to leave again. He was uninterested in answering the question. However Ririku's face seemed like she demanded for a respond.  
  
In his mind, he fixed a sentence and then retorded in a monotone, dull voice. "…something."  
  
Whoa, what an uncreative thing to say. And then before Ririku could manage to spit out another question or pleads, a black ball of fur jumped onto his chest and Rukawa kindly greeted it in his arms. "Kitty," he started.  
  
She was amazed. Wow, this ice prince whom everybody knows of being so careless and boring has a pet cat. A black cat, perhaps. However, Kitty sounds too dull to be a name. "Kitty? You call it Kitty?"  
  
"What," Rukawa snapped back, "you got a problem with that?"  
  
"Stop being so barren and why not you find a better name?!" That wasn't her problem, actually. But Ririku feels like she really needed to throw out her opinions towards him, hoping to cause an effect.  
  
"Shut up. At least I didn't call her Pussy." (a.n : *sweatdrops*) Rukawa snickered as his hands carefully were patting Kitty's neck in a peaceful, steady pace. Kitty herself seemed like she was enjoying to be stoked by Rukawa's firm hands. "Oh come here, little Pussy or else I'm gonna eat you." (a.n : umm.. if u know those 'things' then u'll probably understand ^__^;;. Sorry for underage readers :P) He raised his tone in a sharp and flat voice, mimicking a wicked old corny sorcerer. Ririku Carmenita laughed harder, she almost stumbled down her chair. Rukawa felt eased himself, though. All of these times he had never seen her face in delight, not ever a single once. He himself felt soothed and glad that he could make someone like her laugh like that. "Gomen, Kitty, I gotta study right now." With that he helped the cat to the floor and then loosens his arms. He then walked back towards the table and sat down on one of its chairs. From his bag, he pulled out a brown envelope that contains the materials that he needed to work on during his off-school days. Ririku had hers on the table already. In fact, some were already opened and it seems like she had been working on it previously.  
  
Time passes and half an hour has passed by. Still, Rukawa couldn't figure out how to work on any problems on each of his worksheets. His papers were still empty and there wasn't a single pencil scratch on it. Meanwhile on the other hand, Ririku was sitting there and her crossed arms were rested on the table. Her round eyes were staring straight at him, examining him. "What?" Rukawa finally splitted the dead silence between them that had been going on for quite a long time.  
  
"Not finished yet?" She asked in a queer voice. Meanly, she snatched the top papers that was on top of the piles and then raised her brow as she looked at the clean page. "Wow… clean as new."  
  
"So?"  
  
Ririku handed back the paper to him and then smiled. "I'm finished." She clearly stated with a wide smile on her pink lips.  
  
"Yeah and so?" Rukawa Kaede was getting in the state of getting irritated right here.  
  
She gave no further replies and just quickly pushed her worksheet towards him. "You can copy from it." Wow, she sounds confident in her own work doesn't she? Well, perhaps it is because she really is intelligent. However, Rukawa was still doubtful about her. He took a look at the sheet and noticed that the answers were explained in details. Amazing. Unless she's an extraordinary person, nobody in their average could make such things in a short period of time. By looking at her essay answers, it shows her that she has the brain of Einstein, maybe.  
  
"How on earth did you do this so fast?" Rukawa caught himself stunned by the solutions of the heavy biological questions.  
  
Ririku slumped back on the wooden chair as she smiled in poise. "Simple. I've been through it more than once."  
  
What does that means? What does that values in her definition? To him, it sounds like repeating a grade or so. To reassure everything, he asked, "What do you mean?"  
  
"I think I said it clear," she explained simply, "That means I repeated grade 11 twice."  
  
…..  
  
Simply unbelieavable.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"I don't know… I was absent a lot, perhaps?" That couldn't possibly be the right truth, her face shows it all. It seemed like she was keeping a big secret to herself.  
  
"Oh…" Rukawa gently snatched the paper to his' side and begin copying the meticulous solutions written in sharp, led pencil.  
  
"Oh!" Abruptly, Ririku stood up from her chair and glanced at the watch. Her face showed those peculiar expressions. Rukawa raised a brow as he lifted his eyes off the sheets towards her. "Oh gosh! I'll never make it in time!!!" She slapped her forehead with her open palm.  
  
"What? A date?," Rukawa asked sarcastically.  
  
"No!!"  
  
"Then what?" Right now his mind was crammed with puzzlement. Unexpectedly, his heart was pining for an answer.  
  
Ririku went straight panic. She initiated a wobbly walk; back and forth, across the room. "No time for that," she stated as her mind were busy flying off in other directions. "Do you have a car?"  
  
What? She sounds threatening this time. Just what exactly is the problem here?! "Yeah."  
  
"Can you drive, then?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
Suddenly to his shock, Ririku jumped in glee. Just what on earth is happening here? "Aaaaaa… Rukawa-kunn… can you pleasee, pleaseee… drive me to Yukishiro Hospital?" (a.n : hey I used that hospital in 'Story Of Us' :P) Ririku clamped her fist together and starts to demand in entreaty. Her eyes shone wide, tearful and moist. With the sight of that, Rukawa only sweatdropped.  
  
"Wait a minute," he helds his hand in front of Ririku's face while the other's holding the pencil, "I didn't know what the hell's up. And yet you asked me to drive you to that… what?! What's that frickin' hospital's name?!" His tone raised up in stipulation.  
  
"Yukishiro da! C'mon, I'll itemize everything in the car! Please?"  
  
Rukawa scratched his head, thinking deeply. After crossing his arms before his chest, he then closed his eyes and shook his head negatively. "No."  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"What do you think? I'll just make myself tired and then… what do I get after that?"  
  
"What you'll get?! Hey I'm just—" She then paused hastily and rubbed her chin. Her face lines turned serious as she wears herself thinking. "I know," her face lightens up suddenly, "Here's the deal… I'll allow you to cheat. That's if you'll allow yourself to drive me with your car around the prefecture for 15 days."  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Rukawa retorded sharply. His eyes were fully round by now, unlike his usual sharp and piercing eyes. "15 days is too much."  
  
"Oh, please, Rukawa-kun…" Again she starts to solicit again, bending her backs so that her head will be able to face Rukawa's. "I'm not gonna go anywhere, anyway… Well… Umm… Well these craps right here is hard! And all you gotta do is just drive…"  
  
"… do you think driving is easy? I haven't got a license and it's too risky. Besides in 15 days you could go anywhere you want like to Gunma or something, I dunno…"  
  
Without hesitating any longer, Ririku snatched his arms from the table and drag him to the direction of the garage which had appealed to himself from outside the gates. She didn't let Rukawa gave excuse anymore. She now tried to threaten him with those beseeching looks along with those weepy eyes, ready to burst anytime. Rukawa kept silent. Inside he knews that all these was just foolish intimidations by her. 'Oh no you ain't got me with that look. I'm not dumb,' Rukawa said inside his mind.  
  
They stopped before the white-painted steel garage doors, staring at each other. Ririku then bawled down to her knees and cried loudly. Neighbors began to spread out from their houses. Some were peeking through their window to see what had happened. The neighbors started to whisper to each others. In this scene, Rukawa was the one who looked guilty. "Dammit!"  
  
"Waaaa…!! How could you, Rukawa-kun?! All I ever wanted from you is just love and now when I got home I caught you sleeping with your housemaid. Who am I to you? All I am is just a faithful loving partner, can't you at least treat me with respec---" Rukawa quickly cupped her mouth and then looked around that everybody was glaring at him with those disgusted looks.  
  
"It's… just a play rehearsal!!" And after that he instantly pulled her slim body into the garage, hiding from everybody's eyes. "What are you think you're doing?! You're out of your mind, you know that?!" He screamed out to her but not loud enough to be heard from the yards. Ririku flashed those fiendish smile on her lips as she wiped her phony teardrops away from her face.  
  
"Drive, or would you want some more action?" She straightforwardly jeopardize him with those unfussy sentence. Rukawa was getting angry with this but he knew he couldn't get away with it or else the fellow citizens will start talking ill about him. This girl is definitely crazy!  
  
After spending a little time on his thoughts, Rukawa gave up on it. He raised his hands in the air and gave her those defeated look but the glower in his eyes were still pinned on his face. "Okay. Whatever. I'll drive. Happy with that?!"  
  
The russet straight-haired cute girl jumped high in the air in glee. She then threw herself towards the tall ace of Shohoku and cling to his shoulder. "Arigatou~~~~~!! I really, really appreciate it!! As promised I will let you cheat on those exercise!!" Seeing this joy in her, Rukawa's fury melted down and those fierce look on his eyes subsided.  
  
Without longer talks or babbles, Rukawa grabbed the vehicle keys that were hunged on the walls at once and then unlocked his SUV, one of the latest fashionable models from BMW, X5. "Show me the directon, all right?"  
  
Still smiling, Ririku nodded in agreement. She then get up to the car and sat down on the seat beside the driver's. "Really, Rukawa-kun… I appreciate this. I won't have to keep Ka-san waiting anymore." This time her accent were subtle but is still streaked with delight.  
  
"Ka-san?"  
  
"Yeah, ya know, my mom. Lately she had to spend some time in the hospital and I gotta do visit her too, you know… She's the only one left in my family. I don't have a brother or sister. My father left us…" She explained softly.  
  
"Geez," muttered Rukawa, "if it's for your mother, I would've agreed to drive at first. I thought it was your… fiance or something…"  
  
"Aah… Suman!" Ririku smiled sheepishly. "Aah! Rukawa-kun! To the left to the left!!!" She instructed in alarm. "Gomen ne… I better stop talking. I'll tell you everything when we get there…"  
  
  
  
a.n : ehehe… T__T gomen ne for the lateness of the update. I got loads of works to do since it is the last time of the school session. It's full of assignments… ~__~ I just hate school… Anyways, I wanna inform that about the other fics, it wouldn't be updated until the next, next week. Me n my friends gotta work our grade 9's farewell party thing… T__T please forgive me, I'll do a lot after that to catch up the loss! Arigato~! 


End file.
